


State of Grace

by where_the_kissing_never_stops



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Concert, First Meetings, M/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 09:17:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20794280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/where_the_kissing_never_stops/pseuds/where_the_kissing_never_stops
Summary: A very special gig.





	State of Grace

“This is setting up to be one of the best nights of my life!” Gwaine, it’s safe to say, was rather excited at the prospect of seeing his favourite band in a venue he was wanted to go to for a long time; Melkweg in Amsterdam. He’d heard so many exciting tales and fun times, particularly from when this band has played there. Even though he’d been queueing for over half an hour to get in, it hadn’t dampened his mood at all. “I can’t quite believe it’s finally happening!”

“Gwaine, are you sure I’m not going to get killed here?” Merlin was looking ever so slightly paler than normal. “I know I’m tall, but I’m not exactly the bloke known for holding his own, am I.” His friend took one look at him and shrugged his shoulders. “That doesn’t matter, if you go down people pull you back up. That’s a sort of unwritten rule, you don’t let anyone down, quite literally in this case.” He flashed an excited grin at Merlin. “You’ll be absolutely fine.”

“I’d prefer assuring that I will stay upright through the whole night,” Merlin mumbled.

The queue was moving slowly. Once or twice the tall bloke standing in front of them would turn around and flash the pair a quick smile. Merlin noticed, and it made him more unnerved than he already was. “Gwaine, would you mind if I didn’t come in?”

“What?” His friend exclaimed rather loudly. “You can’t just not go in! We’re here! You’ve got your ticket! The main doors are right there!” Gwaine gestured in the direction of the way the queue went. “No. You’re coming in, and you’re going to enjoy it, you know you will. Plus, you said I could go on your shoulders if they play State Of Grace.” He gave a cheeky but heartfelt smile to Merlin. “Look, if you want to stand on the balcony, be my guest. I don’t want you to not enjoy the show, so if it gets too rowdy, get out of it, alright?” He put a bracing hand on Merlin’s shoulder. At this point the tall man in front of them turned around and said to Merlin, “Don’t worry, he won’t get into any bother. Anyone starts breaking the atmosphere, I’ll break their face.”

Gwaine couldn’t mask his laughter at that. “See, Merlin! Everyone has each other’s back in the crush, no one gets hurt unless they started it.” He turned to the man. “I’m Gwaine,” and extended an arm.

“Percival, but please, Percy.” He gripped Gwaine’s hand with such strength that made Gwaine realise that Percy’s earlier threat wasn’t just that. “Have you seen these guys before?”

“I have, yeah, Merlin hasn’t though, hence the apprehension.” Merlin looked up and tried to laugh it off, but there was no hiding the slight fear in his eyes. Gwaine carried on. “Sounds like you’ve travelled to see these guys too.”

Percy replied, “Yeah, had a few days left to book off work so thought I’d make the most of them!”

Suddenly a man wearing a high-visibility jacket approached them. “’Scuse me, can you get your tickets ready to minimise waiting times, thank you…” He carried on down the line.

“Merlin! This is it!” Gwaine’s enthusiasm was almost contagious, and Merlin felt a slight weight lift off his chest, when he realised this Percy bloke could stay with Gwaine, and Merlin was no longer in the danger zone.

* * *

Inside the venue, there was the ever-present hubbub before a gig of laughter, similar music to the genre of the band, and a heavy smell of beer. “Ah,” sighed Gwaine as he turned to Merlin and sniffed the air. “I’m home.”

“Wish I could say the same…”

Gwaine sent Merlin an exasperated look. “Look, just go and stand upstairs, I’ll see you afterwards.” He didn’t want to seem pushy, but Gwaine wasn’t about looking out for Merlin tonight. His friend shot him an apologetic look, but scarpered upstairs before Gwaine could change his mind.

The Irishman heard a snort behind him, and when he turned around he saw Percy holding out a beer for him. “Ah, cheers!”

“You mean ‘prost’ as they say here,” Percy replied with a smile as they clinked glasses. “So, your friend is not up for it tonight?”

Gwaine supped his beer before responding. “Don’t get me wrong, he like the music, but he doesn’t like the rowdiness, he can’t hold his own that well, gets worried he’s going to get hurt, or that I will.” He let out a snort. “He doesn’t know what he’s on about!”

“Well, I’ll believe it when I see it!” Percy winked and nudged Gwaine’s arm. The pair of them stood in silence together as the venue slowly filled up around them. The sounds of voices, laughter, glasses clinking (and the occasional smash followed by jeers) were so familiar to Gwaine, and he had a good feeling about tonight, which may or may not have been down to his new friend.

“What are you hoping they play? Anything in particular?” Percy broke the silence, then proceeded to sip at his nearly empty pint.

“I’m a big fan of Madhouse, I reckon that would be a stormer and would go down really well. Dornfelder too. It would be excellent if they play State Of Grace, I think that would make my night to be quite honest. I’ve never seen them do it, and it would mean something so special.”

“Ah yes, yeah,” said Percy, nodding slightly. “Would really be great if they played that. I’m also hoping for Running In The Rain, but it’s an oldie so I’m not getting my hopes up…” He tailed off. He finished off his drink, then took his glass back to the bar, and Gwaine scoured the room and balcony for Merlin, until he found him by the bar talking to Percy.

“Why on…” He started, and at that point both Merlin and Percy turned to look at Gwaine, smiling. They then parted ways and Gwaine stood with a questionable expression on Percy’s return. “Should I ask?”

The taller man smirked. “Nah, just telling him I’ll keep an eye out for you tonight.”

A exasperated sigh escaped Gwaine’s lips. “Look, I don’t need a babysitter despite what he thinks!”

Percy just laughed. “Oh, I know, I just did it for your friend’s benefit.” Gwaine turned to look for Merlin again, finding him standing on the stairway, looking back at him, grinning cheekily. Gwaine shot him two fingers before turning back round to face Percy. “I hate it when he does that.”

“What?”

“Tries to be a dad or a big brother or something! I don’t need looking after like a fucking child!”

“Woah, don’t be like that. You should be grateful someone cares so much about you.” Percy looked very sincere, even though only just meeting the Irishman. “It’s great to have friends like that.” And on that note, the lights dimmed, a cheer erupted from the crowd and the two of them were shocked into silence.

* * *

“Holy shit!” Gwaine screamed at Percy. Nine songs in, and Gwaine was in his element. The music was just incredible, loud and raucous and fast, just the way he liked it. As usual, he’d been battered a few times but there was always someone there to haul him back up and throw him back into the thick of it. Safe to say, he was having a whale of a time.

Safe to say, so was Percy. He quite enjoyed being the buffer zone, shoving people left right and centre to protect those who didn’t want to be a part of it.

“How are we doing out there?” The singer shouted into the microphone to a chorus of cheers. “Is that all you’ve got?!” The man’s call was echoed by a louder cacophony from the audience. “That’s more like it, Amsterdam!” He took a swig of his drink, which he had already declared ‘I’m not drinking tonight folks’, before turning to address the audience again. “Now with this next one, we are going to need your help, as it’s an oldie and quite frankly, I might forget the words. Are you with me!” Another roar. “All you need are four words, Running, In-”

“The Rain!” Percy yelled and grinned maniacally at Gwaine, grabbing him by the shoulders. “They’re playing it! They’re actually playing it!” Up started the bass, and Percy was gone, disappeared into a mess of bodies, and Gwaine followed soon after. The fast-paced bass and the sheer ferocity of the song and its lyrics got everyone even more riled up, and it felt like the entire crowd was moving. Arms in the air for the chorus, Gwaine swore he could hear Percy’s voice positively booming over the sound of the crowd.

The pair of them were getting battered left right and centre, song after song, it was relentless, no one was tiring, and everyone was running on adrenaline. They never stopped, until the singer raised his hand in the air, and shouted, “That’s all for tonight folks! Thank you, thank you.” He blew a kiss to the audience, and walked off stage, the other band members following suit, whilst throwing plectrums and drum sticks into the audience.

Gwaine would never admit it, he was downright knackered. Battered and bruised, he could feel lumps rising, but he didn’t care. The adrenaline was pumping, masking the pain and most importantly, he couldn’t stop smiling. He caught Percy’s eye and beamed even wider, as did Percy! _God that’s a cracking smile_ went through Percy’s mind as the two closed the gap between each other.

“…I don’t know if I have words for that, I really don’t,” Gwaine panted, hands on his knees but still grinning like a madman. “That’s the best I’ve seen them!” The audience around them were still chanting, stomping their feet, clapping and singing.

“You’re telling me!” Percy laughed, and claps Gwaine on the back, almost causing him to fall. The lights came back up, much to the surprise of the crowd who were still chanting for ‘one more song’. “I’m going to grab a beer before the bar closes,” Percy said, his breathing still not back to normal, and not just from the gig. “You in?”

Standing up straight with a groan, Gwaine replied, “Shouldn’t I be getting these? You got the last ones in.”

“Well you’ll have to take me to another gig then! Or at least, for a drink..?” _What the fuck did you say that for?_ Percy just about stopped smacking himself in the head. He deep breath as he waited for Gwaine’s response. The Irishman looked a little bewildered, unless that was just the adrenaline still cursing through his veins. He opened his mouth to respond, when all of a sudden the lights went out. A few confused cheers went up, and people started running back into the room.

“Ey up!” exclaimed Gwaine, seemingly forgotten what just happened. “Encore!” Percy just grinned back. Over the speakers started up some choral voices. Gwaine’s mouth dropped. “This…” He took his face in his hands, and his eyes seemed to well up, but Percy couldn’t tell so well in the low light. The choral voices carried on, and indeed the band members entered the stage to a roar of cheers from the crowd.

A single guitar started playing softly in tune with the choral music. Gwaine dropped his hands, looked up and mumbled to himself, “Dad, this is for you.” Then, the hi-hats and drums kicked in. He didn’t know what to do with himself, and suddenly he didn’t have to do anything. Someone grabbed his waist and spun him round – Percy. He shouted one word over the music, “Shoulders?!” Gwaine could only manage a nod, and that was it. Instantly, Gwaine felt ten feet taller, almost literally. He could see the guitarist delicately playing, he could see the drummer pounding away at his kit, and he could see the singer looking right back at him, who pointed directly at Gwaine. “This,” he paused, “is State Of Grace.”

The guitars kicked in. Percy was balancing well enough until the movement started up again, but he was not giving up easily. Another tall bloke came and stood by him, deflecting each shove. They nodded at each other, then Percy started enjoying himself again. He glanced up at Gwaine, who was pouring his heart out into those lyrics, shouting at the top of his lungs. When the chorus came, his voice was joined by others, and the whole place seemed to erupt as if the gig was starting all over again. The song slowed, Gwaine, took a shaky breath and started clapping with the audience following suit.

The song ended with an incredible climax, the power stance of the guitarists and the singer, that was an image neither man would forget. And for Gwaine, he would never forget this night. Every word he sang, and he sang loud and proud. The band left the stage and left a lasting impression on every person in that room.

Percy lowered Gwaine to the ground as the crowd dispersed, and he saw an expression he couldn’t place. Euphoria? Shock? Grief? Possibly a mix of all three. “Hey,” he placed a hand on Gwaine’s shoulder softly. “What a gig, eh?” Gwaine turned to look at him. Percy gave him a kind smile in return. Gwaine looked at Percy’s lips.

There weren’t many people left in the hall, mostly security guards shepherding people out of the doors, and cleaners sweeping up plastic cups and various other pieces of rubbish, which is why Gwaine did what he did. He took Percy’s face in his hands and kissed him. Right there, in the venue. It was just a quick peck, then he withdrew. He looked up at Percy. “Thank you, Percy. That was one of the most special moments of my life, made possible because of you.”

Percy’s face flushed, but before he could respond, Gwaine kissed him again, this time deeper, more meaningful kiss. It lasted a few seconds before they broke apart. Gwaine whispered against Percy’s lips, “Yes, but only if you’re buying.” Percy was unsure of Gwaine’s meaning, but realised and laughed softly. And they embraced again. It felt like time had stopped as they held each other, until quietly somebody coughed behind them. They broke apart, turned around, to see a sheepish looking Merlin standing there, with a slight but obvious smirk on his face.

“Had you forgotten about me?”

**Author's Note:**

> This has been in the works for a few years, and I've just about had enough of seeing it in my drafts folder. I haven't uploaded in ages so here goes nothing!


End file.
